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2025 Capital Jewish Museum shooting
2025 shooting in Washington, D.C., US From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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On May 21, 2025, a shooting occurred near the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. A gunman opened fire outside the museum during a "Young Diplomats Reception" hosted by the American Jewish Committee, killing two Embassy of Israel staff members who were leaving the event.[2]
The victims, a young couple—Yaron Lischinsky, a German-Israeli,[3] and Sarah Milgrim, an American Jew[4]—had attended the event aimed at fostering unity among Jewish young professionals and the diplomatic community.[2]
The suspect, Elias Rodriguez, a 30-year-old man from Chicago, was apprehended by event security staff and reportedly chanted "Free, free Palestine!" while in custody.[5][6] A witness reported Rodriguez pulled out a keffiyeh and said "I did it. I did it for Gaza. Free free Palestine".[7]
Authorities condemned the attack and the FBI and local police launched a joint investigation.[2] The museum had recently raised security concerns amid a broader climate of rising antisemitism affecting Jewish institutions in the United States.[2]
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Background
The Capital Jewish Museum, housed within Adas Israel Congregation—one of Washington, D.C.'s oldest synagogues dedicated in 1876—is a Jewish cultural institution that opened approximately two years before the attack.[8][9] It is situated in the city's center, less than a mile from Capitol Hill and about 1.3 miles (2 km) from the White House.[10]
Historically, Israeli diplomats and embassy staff have been targeted by violence linked to the longstanding Israeli-Palestinian conflict by both Palestinian militants and state-backed actors.[8] The Embassy of Israel, Washington, D.C. has been the site of several protests since the Gaza war began.[11]
Shortly before the incident, the museum received a grant intended to enhance security for local non-profit organizations.[8][9] Museum leaders expressed concerns about safety due to the museum's Jewish identity as well as a new LGBTQ exhibit.[8]
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Shooting
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According to Metropolitan Police Department chief Pamela Smith, the suspect arrested at the scene of the shooting had been pacing outside the Lillian & Albert Small Capital Jewish Museum before the killing.[12] The museum was the site of a conference hosted by the American Jewish Committee (AJC) for young professionals called "AJC ACCESS Young Diplomats Reception."[11][12] According to the invitation, the gathering aimed to bring together "Jewish young professionals and the D.C. diplomatic community for an evening dedicated to fostering unity and celebrating Jewish heritage."[2] The AJC described the event as a cocktail reception for professionals and diplomats focused on humanitarian diplomacy throughout the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.[13][14] JoJo Kalin, an AJC board member who organized the event, stated that it was centered on building a coalition to support Gazans amid the ongoing war.[15][16]
At approximately 9:08 p.m. on May 21, 2025,[5] the suspect opened fire with a handgun on four individuals, two of whom—Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim,[4] a couple and Israeli embassy aides—were fatally shot as they were leaving the museum.[11][12] Israeli government officials said that other embassy employees were injured in the shooting.[17][18]
According to Smith, after the shooting, the suspect walked into the museum and was stopped by security staff before being detained.[11][12] Eyewitnesses in the museum said that the suspect looked distressed and had initially been helped and given water[6][19] before he identified himself as the shooter, and asked for police. He was taken into custody.[20]
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Victims
The two victims, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, were a couple. Lischinsky was a German-Israeli staff member at the Israeli Embassy, working as a research assistant with responsibilities that included monitoring developments in the Middle East.[21] Milgrim was an American Jew working in the public diplomacy department, responsible for community relations. The couple likely met through their embassy assignments.[21] Lischinsky moved from Nuremberg in Bavaria, Germany, to Israel at the age of 16 before relocating to Washington to work for the embassy.[22] According to Yechiel Leiter, the Israeli ambassador to the United States, the couple was planning to become engaged in Jerusalem the following week.[12]
Suspect
Elias Rodriguez, a 30-year-old Chicago man, was arrested as the suspect after being apprehended by event security staff. He pulled out a red keffiyeh and chanted "Free, free Palestine!" as he was taken into custody.[5][6] Initial reports state that Rodriguez had no prior contact with police.[23][24]
Rodriguez was briefly (in 2017) associated with the left-wing political party Party for Socialism and Liberation.[25][26]
Manifesto
Journalist Ken Klippenstein published Rodriguez's alleged manifesto in which he writes, "Those of us against the genocide take satisfaction in arguing that the perpetrators and abettors have forfeited their humanity," but ultimately concludes, "Humanity doesn't exempt one from accountability." He states his belief that many Americans will understand his actions and find it "the only sane thing to do."[27]
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Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and D.C. police are investigating the killing.[28][29] According to The Washington Post, authorities initially believed the suspect had specifically targeted the event at the museum, but had not singled out any single individual before arriving at the scene.[28]
Responses
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Domestic
The organizer of the event called the suspect evil and said he looked distraught.[30]
U.S. President Donald Trump condemned the acts via a post on Truth Social shortly after the shooting, stating: "These horrible DC killings, based obviously on antisemitism, must end, NOW!". He added that "Hatred and Radicalism have no place in the USA."[11][8]
U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem[28] and United States Attorney General Pam Bondi vowed to prosecute the suspect.[31]
U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer denounced the killings, as did Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser.[11] Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Mike Johnson also condemned the shooting, calling it a "horrific attack, obviously an antisemitic attack".[32]
International
Israeli ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon called the killings "anti-Semitic terrorism."[11] In a post on Twitter, Israeli President Isaac Herzog wrote that Israel and the U.S. "will stand united in defense of our people and our shared values. Terror and hate will not break us."[24][33] Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the attack.[34] He said that he ordered strengthened security at Israeli embassies worldwide.[35] Other nations and groups to condemn the killings included the European Union,[36] France,[37] Germany,[38] India,[39] Italy,[40] the UAE,[41] and the United Kingdom.[42]
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See also
References
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